The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
First minister backing Robison
The SNP party remains fully confident in Shona Robison as health secretary, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon insisted yesterday on a visit to the Highlands.
The Scottish leader has refused to sack her colleague after a series of serious problems were highlighted about the running of health boards, including NHS Highland. Ms Robison, meanwhile, has said she will not be distracted by reports of moves for her to face a vote of no confidence .
The health secretary has come under increasing pressure in recent weeks.
Highland Conservative MSP Ed Mountain raised concerns over the management of the local health authority after auditors found its monitoring of contracts was “inconsistent” and “not always documented”.
Labour leader Richard Leonard last week became the most senior MSP to call for her resignation over the issues at NHS Tayside, which had used more than £2million of charitable donations from its endowment fund to invest in computer technology. This despite being given more than £45m in loans.
Asked yesterday by the Press and Journal whether she still had confidence in Ms Robison, the first minister responded: “Absolutely. Shona is focused on supporting health boards in facing the challenges of an ageing population. She is focused on that and has my support in doing so.”
Ms Robison, questioned about a possible vote of no confidence on a visit to the Golden Jubilee Hospital in Clydebank, said: “I’m not going to be distracted by that. I’m here to do an important job today, and the rest of the week and the rest of the coming weeks and months – to get on with important things within the NHS.”